


Countdown

by otterowlgoddess



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Ficlet, I got inspiration for this at 1 am, I've only shipped this for like 4 days, M/M, Soulmate AU, very Zane-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-11
Updated: 2018-01-11
Packaged: 2019-03-03 16:22:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13344957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/otterowlgoddess/pseuds/otterowlgoddess
Summary: As long as Zane could remember, there was a clock on his wrist. Ticking slowly, changing seconds, minutes, hours, days.It had just hit five minutes.





	Countdown

As long as Zane could remember, there was a clock on his wrist. Ticking slowly, changing seconds, minutes, hours, days.

It had just hit five minutes.

He stared down at it, swallowing nervously. He'd waited so long to see what it was counting down for, it felt surreal that the awaited moment was almost here.

Zane also knew that this was cutting it short. Sensei was due to arrive with the new student any moment now, and he'd hate for that special moment to be interrupted by someone else.

He had so many questions about this clock, questions he hoped would be answered soon. Where did it come from? Why did only he have it? What was it counting down towards? How does it never stop? When would he get these answers?

Three minutes to go.

So soon.

He watched the clock, unblinking, watching the numbers drain.

Two minutes.

His heart thumped loudly in his chest, everything felt to warn, oh maker what did this mean what was happening why is-

1 minute. 60 seconds.

Zane heard noise from outside. They were here. No, it would conflict with this, could they please wait!

Forty-five.

Thirty.

Twenty-five. 

Twenty.

Fifteen.

Ten.

"Jay, this is Zane, your new teammate," came Wu's voice from the doorway.

3 seconds. It was so close, and yet Zane couldn't resist looking up. Through the door walked a brown-haired man dressed in blue, who seemed so compelling and so interesting, one Zane desperately wanted to get closer to.

Zane couldn't help it as his cheeks flushed and his ears grew warm.

The timer had hit zero.

\---

One switch. That was all it'd take. He can learn everything about who he is. About who he was.

But who knows how much it will cost.

Zane doesn't know what memories of his previous life will change. He doesn't want to have to let go of his best friends, of his lifestyle.

Of the man he loves.

He screws his eyes tight, and flips the switch in one steady motion.

\---

Memories of happiness. Memories of laughter. Memories of enjoying life with his father, his creator.

It feels so good to see this, but also so wrong.

They fly kites together, Zane gasping as his grasp slips on the handle of a large bird-shaped one, and it flies off towards the mountain side.

They hike through a cold, snowy forest, and Zane is glowing as he warms him and his creator up. He knows that he is his father, but it feels strange and jarring to call him such.

As Zane sinks deeper into this spiral of memories, he finds himself accepting this world, missing it, even yearning for it.

A tear runs down his cheek.

And then, there's one memory. One about the clock that now sits at '000000000000' on his wrist.

'Father, what is this?' He asks, looking down at the wrist panel his father is in the process of screwing on.

'Oh, this?' His father says with a smash laugh. 'This is something very special.'

Zane blinks.

'I only want the best for you, a life of pure happiness.' He straightens up so he can look Zane right in the eyes, a soft smile across his face. 'This is programmed so that the moment you meet the person you love, you will know.'

'The person I love?' Zane asks. 'Don't I love... You?'

'I love you too Zane, but this is different. The love I am talking about is when you meet someone who feels imperfectly perfect, someone who you love unconditionally, someone who you want to spend the rest of your life with.' He taps Zane's wrist. 'That is what this is for. It will count down to the moment you meet them.'

Zane curiously examins the clock, which is starting to change. There was a very high number on it, so much time left until he met this person.

As he views this memory, his breath catches. That was what the clock was for. He met Jay at the exact moment this struck zero, the moment he was meant to meet the person he'd fall in love with.

A smile breaks across Zane's face.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, some thank yous so are in store.
> 
> Thanks to my friend Ruby, for getting me into such a wonderful ship
> 
> Thanks to my friend Elliot for beta-ing it
> 
> And most of all, thanks to everyone who took time out of their day to check out my work!
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed this!


End file.
